Since the development of computer networks, security has been a concern of administrators of computers and computer networks. As a result, many different methods of securing computers have been proposed.
One such security method is a firewall. Firewalls provide for security of computers by regulating what data is allowed into and out of a single computer or a computer network. A firewall may be installed in many different places on a network, such as on a dedicated computer apparatus and placed at an entry/exit point in the network (i.e., where one computer network connects to another computer network) or on a computer to regulate communication for that computer. Based on certain parameters, data may be allowed to pass through the firewall to its destination or may be blocked by the firewall. These parameters may be based on a variety of data characteristics and are regulated by firewall rules.